It seems beyond belief to me that The Eye-Dancers blog has been in existence for nearly five years now. The old saying is true–time flies when you’re having fun. It has been a blessing beyond anything I ever imagined interacting with all of you over the past five years. It’s true, of late, this blog has been less active than it used to be, and posts have gradually become fewer and further between. That, however, is temporary, and about to change.

For the past three years, I have been writing the sequel to The Eye-Dancers. And now, at last, that sequel–The Singularity Wheel–is close to completion. There are, literally, fewer than ten pages to go before the first draft is done. This has been a project full of stops and starts, beset with major surgeries midway through, rewrites and revisions galore, and just over the past several months, a wild dash to reach the end. The first draft will be finished before the end of the month, and then it will be time to dot the I’s and cross the T’s, to edit and polish and cut, cut, cut. Indeed, you must “kill your darlings” as Faulkner once said.

So–over the past few months, while concentrating on finishing The Singularity Wheel, I have neglected The Eye-Dancers blog more than I would like. But I needed to buckle down, make the commitment, and complete the writing project. Now, at long lost, that is about to happen. And when it does, I will return to blogging more frequently. I will be sharing much more information about The Singularity Wheel, which has a planned release for this summer, and will gladly get back in the swing of the wonderful WordPress community. I have missed blogging, and I hope you’ll welcome me back when I return in full force within the next few weeks.

Even while being too often AWOL over the past few months, though, I have still been humbled and honored by your encouragement, support, and friendship. Recently, I was nominated for a Blogger Recognition Award. Ipuna Black nominated me for the award just last month, while Dear Kitty nominated me last fall. I wanted to take this time to thank both of you and accept this award. I also encourage everyone to become acquainted with Ipuna’s blog and Kitty’s blog. They are great places to visit, pull up a chair, and stay for a while–and return to again and again.

The rules for The Blogger Recognition Award state that recipients need to explain why and how they started their blog. Well, in my case, I began The Eye-Dancers blog in the summer of 2012, for the primary purpose of “getting the word out” for my then-upcoming novel, The Eye-Dancers. I had never blogged before, had never been on social media–I was a neophyte in the purest sense of the word. I was also nervous. Who was I to tell people to download my book? Who really wanted to read anything I wrote? Was it arrogant to pitch my novel? These questions, and many more, dogged me through the earliest days of this blog.

But as I soon discovered, I had nothing to worry about. Right from the start, the blogosphere was welcoming, warm, kind, and encouraging. What had begun as a means for me to spread the word about my book quickly morphed into a gift of virtual friendships that spanned the globe, an opportunity to hold ongoing, invigorating discussions about writing and the mysteries of the creative process, to connect on tangible, as well as intangible, levels. For me, The Eye-Dancers blog has been a joy. I treasure the friendships I have formed over the years with so many of you.

There is another layer of instruction to The Blogger Recognition Award–and that is to give two pieces of advice for new bloggers. I’m not sure I have anything profound to say here; I can only share two of the best things I learned along the way. The first is–just be yourself. Post about what interests you and what motivates you, and write with honesty and passion. The great readers on WordPress will appreciate your willingness to share. And the second is–don’t be afraid. Don’t hesitate. You might think you don’t have anything special or unique or profound to say, and, amidst the unrelenting doubts, you may choose not to post. Don’t give in to the doubts. You had a reason to start a blog. You have something to say. You have a unique and special point of view. Don’t worry about the topic. Just write whatever you feel compelled to write, and share your thoughts and perspectives with the rest of us.

Now here is where I will break the rules! The Blogger Recognition Award instructs to choose ten other bloggers to nominate for the award. But I want to share this award with all of you–anyone and everyone reading, the friends who have supported me from day one. You are the reason I’m here. You are the reason I love to blog, and can’t wait to return in full force within the next few weeks. I hope many of you will accept this award.

It’s good to see you back in the blogosphere! I’m also super elated that you received the Blogger Recognition Award. I know I have only visited your blog occasionally, but I’ve always been impressed by your humility, as well as the depth of your characters and plot points in The Eye Dancers.

I will return to The Eye Dancers ASAP! That way I’ll be ready for the sequel when you release it.

Mike,
I am so happy you are plugging away at your book. I know the commitment that takes. It was nice getting to know a little more about your blog and what’s been going on in your life. You offered great words of encouragement for everyone. Keep writing! 📚

So happy for you that the draft of your sequel is finished. Bravo! Totally understand that you need time to work at making the best book possible. I am also there 🙂
My last draft (I stopped counting them) is also almost finished. I’m sure I already told you before but I re-wrote since then. This latest should be the last 🙂 and then goes the copy-editing. So I’m also shooting for a summer release.
Congrats on the award and thank you for offering it to any of your readers. Years ago when I was starting my blog I was offered several awards and ultimately decided to go award free. But I appreciate your kindness.
Best to you and your writing project.

Thanks so much, Evelyne! This stage of the writing process is my favorite, I think. The pressure of the first draft is over. Now all that remains is taking the existing material and making it better. I enjoy this part of the process so much, I feel like I’m on Cloud Nine.:)

Wonderful as always, Michael. I love the doctor/patient cartoon about the book inside. The sequel to my novel has been in there so long… it begins to make me think of the way people describe passing a kidney stone! 😉 Have a marvelous Monday. Mega hugs!

Thanks so much, Teagan! Yes, these writing projects can take a long, long time, can’t they? As much as I love writing, and have enjoyed the process of crafting the sequel, I freely admit, I cannot wait to type the words, “The End”!:)

You may have blogged less but your posts have be no less thought provoking for it. I look forward to book two and can’t imagine how challenging all the stuff outside the writing and blogging must have been. The future is looking good though.

Thanks so much, Nicholas! Today, I actually wrote the words “The End”! So the first draft is finally finished–big sigh of relief! Now it’s on to the editing stage, and I can’t wait. Oddly, that’s my favorite part of the process!

That’s awesome, congratulations again! Oh yeah, once you’ve made it through the first draft, you can breathe a huge sigh of relief. I hear you on the editing — sometimes the best parts of the story come from the editing stage!

Five years! Congratulations Mike and on such well deserved blogging awards. So glad to hear you’re almost at the finish line. I’m chasing on your heels! Can’t wait to hear more about your sequel…and we will all be here cheering you along when you cross that tape!

Thanks so much, Sherri! I am perilously close.:) I had finished the last chapter just the other day–even went so far as to type in “The End”! But, alas, I realize now there are some last bits of tweaking necessary in the last chapter–so, not quite done yet! Very, very soon, though.:)